fuel rant

If you really want to rant, maybe it should be to your states Weights and Measurements department. I know foam registers the same as liquid. but they could be short changing you.  

I have had that happen to me and you always think its the pump at first, which it may be, but I had put 34 gallons of diesel in my truck which has a 36 gallon tank, the most I have EVER put in it. I had a little over 1/4 of tank before I started filling and thought the pump screwed me. Well about a month later I was down to a 1/4 tank again and ran her clean out of diesel on I-10.

One more thing, on some fuel transfer tanks they list them at 90 or 85% of what they actually hold. For instance a 100 gallon tank may only be rated to hold 85 gallons.

i stopped in town one day with my brothers tractor, it's a small IH, used it for something i don't remember...anyways gonna take it back with a full tank like i picked it up with...pumping in the gas, and it was still pumping at 50 gals! the tank only holds about 12! i stopped it and went inside..the manager was there, he went out and looked, he also decided that pump wasn't right! he only charged me for 10 gallons as it wasn't clear empty....the next day weights and measures were there at that station..(i didn't call them) but someone did! they determined that the pump was "right on" ! are ya kiddin me? guess nothing ever came of it!

Notify the state weights & measures agency. I have an old car with a 19 gallon tank that held 22 gal at one place............w&m agency came and checked the pump within a few days.

WHEN A PROPANE METER WEARS IT WEARS IN THE CUSTOMERS FAVOR. DAD GAVE AWAY QUITE A BIT ON ONE TRUCK YEARS AGO.

I reported it via email last night and got a response this morning that it would be checked out.

Gerald J.; Golly, I would have thought the state testing technician would have placed an "out of service" sticker or padlock, etc on the pump that failed calibration test? Herb

Calibration of any 'LEGAL FOR TRADE' dispensing equipment is handled similar to my company's scales- the criteria is thoroughly described.

When metering equipment fails, the failure mode determines where the error occurs.  My company's other division handles extremely large volumes of diesel fuel, so we have our own calibration test vehicle, and can, and do... test our own dispensers at-will.  We obviously cannot place inspection stickers on our own (Iowa Department of Agriculture Division of Weights and Measures can only do that), but we can verify that the pumps are pumping accurately.

As for the programming being altered, that's a very, very, very serious thing... because the company that BUILDS the dispensory equipment (Companies like Veeder-Root, Seneca, and others) puts not only their company name and reputation, but ALL their business certifications on the line... one inspector, finding an accumulation error that can be contributed to some sort of modification of the metering software or hardware, can not only disqualify that dispenser, they can report, and effectively disqualify the entire line of hundreds, even thousands of dispensers.  This kind of thing simply doesn't happen.  I don't work in liquid dispenser metrology, but if a similar problem were found in any scale I worked on, and found to occur on others and suspected to be intentional (for purpose of fraud), ALL my scales would be taken out-of-service, and all (48) of my state technician licenses would be revoked, my company's test weight certifications pulled, and serious fines sent my way.

The testing at 5 and 10 gallon increments seems like an easy hack, but it doesn't work in full capacity testing.  An inspector has his calibrated vessel (that's the goofy looking stainless tank with skinny neck).  The vessel usually has load cells under it to measure weight (fuel must be tested for specific gravity, then compared to weight and volume, in order to properly qualify the dispenser), and then they have a 'waste tank' that doesn't necessarily have any particular volume... but here's how an inspector would check for large volume 'skew'...

Starts by test sampling the fuel for specific gravity.  Then he/she dispenses some volume of fuel... say... they randomly shoot 23 gallons into the waste tank, then put 5 gallons into the test vessel (flask).  Observe the meter reading 5 gallons more... then dispense another 36.5 gallons into the waste tank, then empty the flask and shoot another 5 gallons into the flask, and observe 5 more appearing on the dispenser.  This is how they do an accumulation test.

When we test scales, we use a test cart with a certain percentage of test weight, typically around 20,000lbs.  We check all points of the scale to verify that it reads right at 20,000lbs, then we pull the test weights off.  We pull the weight-truck onto the scale, and observe IT's weight... let's say it's 29,140lbs... then we pull on the 20,000lb weight cart, and observe scale reading 49,140lbs... this is akin to the waste tank/flask testing technique.  THEN, to check the 'build up', we pull the 20,000lb weight cart off the scale, back the weight truck up (so that the hoisting boom overhangs the end of the scale) and use the boom to lift off the certified test weights in groups of four... so four groups of 4,000lbs means we should see, after picking each group, a rise of 4,000, and then finally, we lift the 4,000lb weight cart (also certified for it's weight), for a total of 49,140lbs.

If you feel you're being mis-charged by some fault of the dispenser, the very first thing you should do, is contact your local Weights and Measures authority.  They WILL pull up in a test vehicle and do a discrete consumer test (some of 'em have special test-flasks that fill from the normal filler, and they come in wearing plain clothes, using a credit-card, like any normal customer!).  Rather than try to de-construct 'how' someone's cheating, it's best to keep your reciept and all pertinent data.  If the regulatory authority finds a problem, file a claim with the business.

Realize, though, that most often, problems like this, are due to some mechanical or electronic failure... like a lightning-damaged optical encoder or a bad hall-effect sensor.   Purposely tampering with a regulated legal-for-trade dispenser is a very, very serious charge that no sensible business owner would consider doing.

Lastly... most people highly overestimate the retailer's profit margin on fuel.  When you go in to buy 15 gallons of fuel, use the bathroom, get a cup of coffee and a doughnut, or a fountain drink and a candy bar, a magazine or batteries for your digital camera, the retailer made more off your coffee, drink, snacks and goods than if you'd bought FOR TIMES as much fuel.  Sad as it is, it's the inside stuff that makes all the money.


Edited by DaveKamp - 18 Apr 2011 at 11:50pm

Thanks Dave for all the info.  You never know what one will learn on the AC site!